LeavesLong petioles; egg-shaped to round; heart-shaped at base; small rounded teeth on margin; fine short hairs or hairless; stipules lance-shaped; bear small spines on margin or entire. Alternate; stipules reddish brown. 0.7-4.5 cm long and 1-3.5 cm wide.FlowersSingle flowers from leaf axils; petals 5, blue to violet, lower 3 white at base, side pair white bearded; 1-2 cm long and 0.5 cm wide; spur straight or hooked, 4-6 mm long; sepals 5, lance-shaped, half-length of the petals; stamens 5, 4 pollen sacs.Fruits and SeedsCapsule; 4-5 mm long which opens explosively at three valves; dark brown seeds.
Scientific NameViola adunca Sm.
Common Name
early blue violet
General Description
A perennial, tufted herb that grows from a slender rhizome and reaches a height of 4-10 cm in the spring, but later grows to 10-15 cm tall; single flowers are found in the leaf axils and are blue to deep violet.
Leaves
Long petioles; egg-shaped to round; heart-shaped at base; small rounded teeth on margin; fine short hairs or hairless; stipules lance-shaped; bear small spines on margin or entire. Alternate; stipules reddish brown.…
Long petioles; egg-shaped to round; heart-shaped at base; small rounded teeth on margin; fine short hairs or hairless; stipules lance-shaped; bear small spines on margin or entire. Alternate; stipules reddish brown. 0.7-4.5 cm long and 1-3.5 cm wide.
Flowers
Single flowers from leaf axils; petals 5, blue to violet, lower 3 white at base, side pair white bearded; 1-2 cm long and 0.5 cm wide; spur straight or hooked, 4-6 mm long; sepals 5, lance-shaped, half-length of the…
Single flowers from leaf axils; petals 5, blue to violet, lower 3 white at base, side pair white bearded; 1-2 cm long and 0.5 cm wide; spur straight or hooked, 4-6 mm long; sepals 5, lance-shaped, half-length of the petals; stamens 5, 4 pollen sacs.
Fruits and Seeds
Capsule; 4-5 mm long which opens explosively at three valves; dark brown seeds.
Phenology
Flowering early May to August.
Notes
2n=20*, 30*, 40*
Similar species: V. pedatifida can be found on dry prairie grasslands and can be distinguised from V. adunca by basal leaves with 6-15 finger-like lobes and bright purple flowers that are 1-2 cm across.
2n=20*, 30*, 40*
Similar species: V. pedatifida can be found on dry prairie grasslands and can be distinguised from V. adunca by basal leaves with 6-15 finger-like lobes and bright purple flowers that are 1-2 cm across.
Range/Distribution
Alberta: SW in mountain range and central. CAN (BC, MB, NB, NS, SK, NT, NU, ON, QC, YT); USA (AK, WA, OR, CA, NV, ID, MT, WY, UT, AZ, CO, NM, ND, SD, IA, MN, WI, MI, NY, VT, ME, MA, NH).
Citation
Page Citation for Viola adunca Sm.
Page Citation
"Species Details - Viola adunca Sm., University of Alberta Vascular Plant Herbarium." University of Alberta Museums Search Site, https://search.museums.ualberta.ca/g/1-5256/12-138657. Accessed 21 Jan. 2025.
Specimen Information
There are 342 specimens of this Species.
272 results plotted on map in 252 markers. Note: Only records with latitude and longitude coordinates are plotted on map.